Alfred Emanuel Stevens

Everyone called him Steve, because of his last name. When Alfred Emanuel Stevens completed his U.S. World War I Draft Registration Card on September 12, 1918, he described himself as being of medium height with a slender build, blue eyes and brown hair. At the time, he was 20 years old, having been born May 1, 1898, and was living at RFD 10 in Marion, Grant County, Indiana. He was working as a farmer for himself and was living with his wife, Silvia Marie Stevens. They were married about 1917. They had six children, Kenneth Edwin, Miriam Josephhine, Lucille D., Myron Dee, Marcella June and Lois Ann Stevens. Alfred was the son of Emanuel and Mary L. Stevens. Sylvia was the daughter of William C. Meyers and Florence Stephens Myers.

Previously, in the 1900 U.S. Federal Census for Pleasant, Grant county, Indiana, Alfred's family was listed as follows: Emanuel, 28, Mary L., 26, Vernie C., 7, Arthur A., 5, and Alfred Emanuel, 2 years old. Alfred's father, Emanuel, was working as a farmer. and owned his own farm free from a mortgage. By the 1910 census, they were listed as Emanuel, 38, Lizzy, 35, Vernie, 17, Arthur, 15, and Alfred, 11.

In the 1920 Census for Pleasant, Grant, Indiana, Alfred, 21, and Silvia M., 18, were living with their one year, two month old son, Kenneth, and Alfred was working as a farmer on his own account. The home they were renting was on Weaver Road, and his older brother, Vernie C., 27, was living next door with his wife, Letha, 26. Both Alfred and Vernie were farming. Also living next door on the other side was their brother, Arthur, 25, and his wife Millie, 20, with their son, Howard, 2 years old. Also living in their home was someone named Julia Renbarger, an 84-year old widow, who was listed as "mother", but she was obviously not Arthur's mother, and may have in fact been Millie's grandmother, based on her age. Arthur was also working as a farmer.

In the 1930 U.S. Federal Census, Alfred E., 31, and his wife, Silvia M., 28, were living at 39 Regis Road, in Washington, Grant County, Indiana, with their children: Kenneth E., 12, Miriam J., 9, Lucille D., 7, and Myron D., 3, and living with them were Alfred's parents, Emanuel, 58, and Mary E., 56. Alfred and Silvia had been married for 12 years. Alfred was working as a farmer and his father as a farm laborer.

By the 1940 census, Alfred, 41, and Sylvia, 38, were living in a rental home on Salem Pike in Washington, Grant County, Indiana, which they rented for $12,00 per month, and living with them were their children, Lucille, 17, Myron, 13, Marcella, 5, and Lois Ann, 2; oldest son, Kenneth, 22, and his wife, Marthena, 21, and grandson, Larry Boots, 3 years old. Alfred was still farming, his 17 year old daughter, Lucille, was working as a housekeeper at a private home, and his son, Kenneth, was working as a punch press operator for an electric company. Alfred stated that his income in 1939 for 52 weeks worked at 60 hours per week was $432, Lucille's income for 32 weeks worked at 40 hours per week was $100, and Kenneth's income for 52 weeks worked at 32 hours per week was $1,050. How nine people could live on less than $1,600 per year is hard to understand!

In the 1940 census Alfred's parents, Emanuel, 68, and Mary Lizzie, 66, were living alone on State Road 18 in Monroe, Grant, Indiana, in a home they were renting for $12.00 per month. They both had an 8th grade education. Emanuel was listed as a farm hand, and for the 30 weeks he worked at that profession his income was $200. Emanuel passed away on August 4th that year and was buried in the Estates of Serenity Cemetery in Marion, Grant County, Indiana. His wife, Mary Elizabeth "Lizzie" Whiteman Stevens, lived another 7 years and passed away on December 23, 1947. She was buried with her husband at the Estates of Serenity Cemetery.

Alfred Emanuel Stevens passed away at a relatively young age of 64 years old on November 8, 1962, and was also buried in the Estates of Serenity Cemetery. His wife, Sylvia "Silva" Myers Stevens, lived another 22 years and passed away May 25, 1984. Their daughter, Marcella June died before her in 1969, and son Kenneth died in 1974. Another son, Myron Dee passed away in 1994, and Miriam Josephine in 1998. The youngest child, Lois Ann Stevens Johnson, passed away in 2014, and was also buried in the Estates of Serenity Cemetery. Kenneth was buried in Grant Memorial Park in Marion, and sister, Marcella June, was also buried at Estates of Serenity next to her parents. Myron Dee Stevens was buried in the Van Buren Cemetery with his wife Marjorie A. Stanley Stevens.